Hello, Patti Novak!

By CRISTINA KINON

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER|

Jan 11, 2009 | 5:40 AM

Love is recession-proof. Just ask matchmaker Patti Novak.

The Buffalo native, who stars in the A&E series "Confessions of a Matchmaker," about her personal matchmaking business, is expanding her brand with a book, "Get Over Yourself! How to Get Real, Get Serious and Get Ready to Find True Love" (Ballantine Books, $24), which hit bookshelves this past week.

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"My father once told me, 'Patti, the world will never not need love,' and I believe that's true, especially today," Novak told the Daily News. "If you can only afford popcorn and a six-pack on a Saturday night, you certainly don't want to be doing that alone."

"Get Over Yourself," co-written by best-selling novelist Laura Zigman, is like a dating workbook. It features Novak's rules, strategies, insights and even surveys and questionnaires to be completed by the reader in an effort to better understand what kind of daters they are. Chapters include "Understanding Your Relationship History," "Self-Diagnosis," "Facing Your Demons" and "First Date 101."

What sets "Get Over Yourself" apart from the thousands of other dating-advice books is Novak's unique style of tough love. Just like on her show, Novak shows no mercy as she pinpoints love-seekers' issues and what to do to overcome them.

"I'm going to be able to get away with telling someone that the extra 70 pounds is a problem because I'm a blind party," said Novak. "Imagine trying to tell a friend that! That's not a good situation, so people need me to be objective."

Novak, who's been bartering love connections since she was 10, also includes a chapter on Internet dating in "Get Over Yourself," though she's not a big advocate of it.

"The Internet is here and it's not going anywhere, so I put it in the book to highlight the safety aspects of it. But I want people to only use it as a tool to practice their dating skills," said Novak. "Don't go into it thinking you're going to find the love of your life. You may, but go into it as a practice forum."

Some of Novak's first-date "do's" include:

1. Dress to impress.

2. Less is more when it comes to makeup.

3. Carry breath mints.

4. Be yourself.

5. Be on time.

Her list of "don'ts," however, is much longer.

"I no longer assume that anything is common sense," said Novak. "You won't believe what some people think is a good idea to talk about to someone they just met. One woman I matched told her date she was on Prozac. Half the country is, but the fact that she brought it up on the very first date scared him."

Novak says "Get Over Yourself" is appropriate for every kind of dater of every age.

"Everybody's different, but I'd say 27 years old and up is when people really start calling me," she said. "They're out of school, moving out of the bar scene and don't have many alternatives to meet new people."

Others are stuck in a pattern of bad dates or are recently out of a long-term relationship or marriage.

"The motivation to put this all down into a book is the realization that dating is a universal problem for all people," said Novak. "There are so many people looking for love and don't want to be alone, so it becomes a burden in our heart when we are.

"Dating shouldn't be as complicated as it is, but human nature makes it that way. But if you can just love yourself, be kind to others, get out there and look your best, your world will change."